In a stern response to the distressing occurrences of sewer-related deaths in India, the Supreme Court issued a significant ruling on Friday. The court decreed that government authorities will be obligated to provide compensation of Rs 30 lakh to the families of individuals who lose their lives while engaged in sewer cleaning. Furthermore, those who sustain permanent disabilities during such work will receive a minimum compensation of Rs 20 lakh. Justice S Ravindra Bhat and Justice Aravind Kumar, forming the bench, underlined the imperative need for the Union and state governments to eliminate manual scavenging entirely.
Justice Bhat, while pronouncing the judgment, specified that authorities would need to disburse up to Rs 10 lakh in cases where the sewer cleaner endured other disabilities. Alongside these financial directives, the court also issued a set of instructions aimed at preventing future incidents of this nature. The ruling emphasized the necessity for government agencies to collaborate in ensuring the prevention of such incidents and highlighted that High Courts have the authority to monitor cases related to sewer-related deaths.
The Supreme Court’s decision emanated from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), and the detailed order is still pending. Alarming government data revealed that in the last five years, 347 individuals lost their lives while cleaning sewers and septic tanks in India. Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi accounted for 40 percent of these tragic incidents, as disclosed in government data presented in the Lok Sabha in July 2022.
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